Total Complaints
12 filings
CHEVROLET SUBURBAN · model year
1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985CHEVROLETSUBURBAN carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 SUBURBAN is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:recliner (1) and power train:automatic transmission (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1985 SUBURBAN, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010131TIRES
GOODYEAR DEALER OVERINFLATED TIRES (G159 UNISTEEL P235/85R16), THE DEALER ALSO REPLACED TIRES WITH A DEFECTED BENT RIM AND ANOTHER TIRE APPEARS TO BE A RECAP, THE JOINT WHERE THE TREAD CAP CONNECTS TO THE SIDEWALL, WHEN THE TIRES ARE OVERINFLATED IT CAUSES TIRES TO FEEL HARD AND ALSO CAUSES STEERING PROBLEMS. *SLC
20000828CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE REAR TIRE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE SPRUNG AROUND AND WENT INTO FOUR LANE TRAFFIC, AND A GASOLINE TRUCK RAN INTO IT. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE #AT STEEL MS/RADIAL R4S .*AK TIRE SIZE IS (P235 85 R16), AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS CLAIMED NO INJURIES, HOWEVER SINCE THEN THE DRIVER HAS HAD SEVERE SHOULDER PAIN DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
19971218SEATS
SEAT ANCHORS BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE. RECALL ON MODELS 1987-1991 (#93V187000), HOWEVER CONSUMERS VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY.
19971204STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
LOOSE STEERING COLUMN.
19960725SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
STRUT ROD LOOSE. *SD
19960725POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
TRANSFER CASE REPLACED. *SD
19960725ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REPLACED. *SD
19960725VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE. *SD
19960425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH
19960402SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
EA95-026 ACTIVE, BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AFTER IN FOR REPAIR LEFT FRONT LOCKED UP IN WET CONDITIONS. *AK
19951122FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FIRE STARTED IN THE TRANSMISSION AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19951023SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. TT UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT SHEARED IN HALF. *YH
Compare 1985CHEVROLETSUBURBAN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN have?▼
The 1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1985 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.